Massaging device



Oct. 22, 1940. M. MORRISON MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 1 lrjvenTol z Mcwue l1" Mor'r'lso Oct. 22, 1940; M,MORRISON v 2,219,138

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Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE MASSAGING DEVICEMarguerite Morrison, Glenooe, Ill. Application February 3, 1939, SerialNo. 254,351 4 Claims. (01. 128-57) This invention relates to massagingdevices, and has for one of its objects providing a suitable device formassaging the fingers, so as to give them a tapering shape. Anotherobject is to provide a device for the purpose by means of which ayielding pressure may be brought to bearon the fingers as the device isoperated, and also to provide means by which the pressure may be variedby the operator. Another object is to apply to the device power means sothat the massaging may be carried on automatically without attention ofthe person being operated on. An-

other object is to provide for massaging all of the fingers of one hand,and also the thumb,

simultaneously. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the ac companying drawings, and the followingdescription thereof.

Of the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a massaging device whichembodies the features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional viewthereof along the lines 22 of Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe device; Fig. 4 is an end'view thereof; Fig. 5 is an elevation of amodified form 5 of the device; Fig. 6 is an end view thereof; Fig. 7

is a plan view thereof; Fig. 8 is a section of a power operatedmechanism for massaging purposes; Fig. 9 is a sectional view thereofalong the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an end view thereof and Fig. 11is a view thereof along the line H-H of Fig. 8.

The devices in general comprise a pair of soft rollers, composed ofsponge rubber or other suitable material, such as the rollers [0. Anaxle II passes through the axis of each roller and projects from eachend of the roller. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a pair of arms l2 projectoutwardly from the respective ends of the axle of each roller, and arefixed to 'the axles or rotatably attached 40 thereto. The arms extendoutwardly from the axle preferably substantially at right anglesthereto, and the outer ends of each pair of arms are pivoted,respectively to the outer ends of a similar pair of arms attached to asimilar pair of axle ends. By this arrangement, it will be seen, thatthe finger may be placed between the rollers and they may then bepressed against the finger as much as may be desired. In order to assistin thus operating the rollers, I provide a loop l3 for each roller,having its ends fixed to the respective arms I2 of the roller andpositioned on the outer side of the roller. By applying the fingers tothe pair of loops thus attached to the device they readily force therollers to- 66 gether against the finger being operated on so much asmay be desired. To assist in this I provide a cupped disk fixed to thecentral portion of each loop or yoke [3, in whichthe ends of theoperating fingers may be placed to assist in the pressure operation.

Figs. 5' to '7 show a modified form of the massaging device, in whichthe arms l2 are replaced by springs l6 arranged to connect the ends ofthe respective axles II. By the use of these springs the rollers arepressed against the finger 10 being operated on without any manualpressure. However, also with this type I prefer to provide a yokesimilar to the yoke I3. But in this case I prefer a yoke I! which takessomewhat the curve of the roller; and on this yoke'I have formed a cupshaped disk l8 somewhat similar to the disk l4. By curving the yokeinwardlythe operating fingers are less likely to slip off of the yoke.

In order to protect the springs from injury, and to improve theappearance of the device, I 2 prefer to enclose the springs intelescoping'tubes 29. vThe ends 2| of the springs are preferably fixedto the respective endsof the telescoping tubes to prevent separation ofthe rollers, and to yieldingly draw them together when the de- '25 viceis in use. Although I have shown and described two springs l6 andtelescoping tubes 29, yet a single spring may be used, if desired, and asingle pair of tubes.

In Figs. s to 11 I have illustrated a machine for massaging all of thefingers of one hand at the same time. This consists of a frame, whichmay comprise an enclosing casing 25. Within the casing, on a partition26 is mounted a motor which is arranged to operate a series of devices35 28 and 29. The devices 23 are positioned in the casing and arrangedto massage the fingers of the hand and the devices 29 are arranged andpositioned to massage the thumbs. For instance, referring to Fig. 10,when the'right hand is massaged the fingers enter the openings 39 andare massaged by the devices 28; at the same time the right thumb entersthe opening 3i and it is massaged by the rollers 29 opposite thatopening. When the left hand is operated on the fingers also enter theopenings 30 and the left thumb enters the opening 32.

With this machine any suitable massaging devices may be used and anysuitable operating means. I prefer the rollers 28 and 29 each pair ofwhich is connected by a spring 33 at'each end of each pair of rollers.These springs press the rollers against the fingers or thumbs withsuflicient force for the purpose; but any suitable means may be used forvarying the force of the 66 springs to suit individual needs. The pairsof rollers are maintained in proper relative positions by means of links34, one end of each link being pivoted to one end of one of the rollers,and the other end of each link being pivoted to a link 35. Thus eachpair of rollers has two links 34 pivoted to a link 35 and to one end ofthe rollers, and also two links 34 pivoted to another link 35 and alsoto the other end of the rollers.

The links 35 are all connected, in pairs, to an operating link 36 bymeans of rods 31 and a beam 38, to which the inner end of the link 36 isfastened, preferably non-rotatably. The link 36 is operatively connectedwith the motor, so as to be oscillated inwardly and outwardly as themotor rotates. These oscillations carry with the link 36 the variousrollers 28 and 29, thus massaging the fingers and thumbs as much as maybe desired. In this instance the means operatively connecting the link36 with the motor comprise a worm 46 and a worm gear coacting therewith.To the axle of the gear, which comprises a rod 42, is fixed an arm 43. aThe arm carries a rod 44 which is pivotally connected to a lever 45 bymeans of a slot 46 in the end of the lever. The lever is pivoted by itsother end to the partition 26 by means of an arm 4'! fixed to thepartition. As the motor operates the gear wheel 4| the lever will beoscillated, and this in turn will oscillate the rollers.

I claim as my invention:

1. A massaging device for the purpose set forth, comprising incombination a pair of massaging rollers of rubber or the like eachhaving an axially extending opening for reception of a supporting shaft,and each formed with its surface as the cylindrical development of acircular arc facing with its concavity outwards, and a supporting framefor said rollers including relatively movable frame members, journalmeans connectingsaid frame members together at one point, other journalmeans on said frame members for the supporting shafts of the rollers toretain said shafts parallel to each other while permitting movement ofsaid shafts towards and from each other, said rubber rollers and theconcave surfaces thereof being of companion form and size to receive afinger of the human hand between their companion concave surfaces,together with tension spring means connecting the frame members androllers together. and tending to draw them towards each other, wherebyduring back and forth massaging movements of the rollers with respect tothe fingers saidfingers are subjected to massaging effect of the rubberrollers over a considerable arcuate surface of the fingers so treated,and'whereby said rollers are permitted during such massaging action tocontinually adjust the separation between them according to the fingersize being momentarily treated, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. A massaging device for the purpose. set forth, comprisingsix pairs ofcompanion rollers of rubber or the like, the rollers of each pair beingformed with their surfaces inthe form of cylindrical developments ofcircular arcs, together with means to support all said pairs of rollerswith the axes of the rollers of each pair parallel to each other, whilepermitting relative movements of the rollers of each pair back and forthwith respect to each other, and while permitting lateral swingingmovements of the pairs of rollerswith respect to other pairs of saidrollers, said pairs of rollers being mounted with four of said pairs inalignment with each other and with the axes of the rollers of said pairsnormal to such alignment, and with one pair of rollers adjacent to eachend of such so-aligned pairs of rollers but off-set therefrom, and withthe rollers of said end pairs set with their axes parallel to suchalignment, whereby the fingers of a human hand may be naturally setbetween the four pairs of such soaligned rollers and the thumb of suchhuman hand may'be set naturallybetween the rollers of one end pair, andwhereby all the fingers and "the thumb of such human hand may besimultaneously; subjected to massaging treatment by movements relativelywith respect to the pairs of rollers together with means tosimultaneously re- ,ciprocate allsaid pairs of rolls in a directionsubstantially normal to the axes of the rollers, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

3. A massaging device for the purpose set forth, comprisingin'combination six pairs of companion rollers of soft'rubber or thelike, the rollers of each pair'be'ing suitably formed to receive a digitof the human handbetween them, together with means to supportfallsaidpairs of rollers with the axes of the rollers of each pair parallel toeach other, while permitting relative movements of the rollers of eachpair'back and forth with respect to each other, and while permittinglateral swinging movements of the pairs of rollers with respect to theother pairs of said rollers, said pairs of rollers being mounted withfour of said pairs in alignment with each other and with the axes of therollers of said pairs normal to such alignment, and with" one pair ofrollers adjacent to each end of such so-aligned pairs of rollers andwith the rollers of said end pairs set with their axes parallel to suchalignment, whereby the fingers of a human hand may be naturally setbetween the four pairs of such so-aligned rollers and the thumbof suchhuman hand may be set naturallybetween the rollers of one end pair, forsimultaneous massaging treatment of all said fingers andthe thumb,substantially as and for the-purpose set forth.

4. A massaging device for the purpose set forth, comprising incombination six pairs of companion rollers of rubber or the like, therollers of each pair being'suitably formed to receive a digit of thehuman hand between them, together with means to support all said pairsof rollers with the axes of the rollers of each pair parallel to eachother, whilepermit'ting relative movements of the rollers of each pairback and forth with respect to each'other, and while permitting lateralswing- I for all said-parts, said housing being providedwith suitabledigit openings in alignment with all said pairs of rollers to therebyguide said digits between the rollers during digit insertion into thedevice, substantiallyf as described.

" 'MARGUERI'IE MORRISON.

